Rep. Gene Ward

Requires any state or county department pursuing any major plan or work effort that is likely to significantly affect members of any community to: (1) Conduct a public hearing on the issue, and post notices on the department's website; and (2) Send direct notices of the public hearing to state and county elected officials who have constituents in the community.

Repeals registration requirements relating to qualifying outofstate medical cannabis patients who are validly registered in other states, United States territories, or the District of Columbia. Repeals language requiring an initial inperson consultation before physicians and advanced practice registered nurses may make medical cannabis treatment recommendations via telehealth. Prohibits the Department of Health from imposing fees for patients' medical cannabis registration certificates.

Exempts food and groceries from the general excise tax. Expands a 2024 session law exempting certain medical and dental services to include all medical and dental services.

Maddy summaryHB 1253 establishes the Hawaii Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) Program, which directly affects individuals on probation in Hawaii. The bill creates a structured probation program focused on swift, certain, and graduated sanctions for probation violations, rather than immediate incarceration. Administered by the Hawaii Judiciary, the program aims to improve probation compliance and reduce recidivism through consistent oversight and targeted interventions. This is a procedural bill creating a new program framework, not a substantive policy change to existing laws.

Requires the department of education to equip all classroom doors with interior locks, maintain a public address system, feature an emergency access route, and maintain fire alarms. Mandates the establishment of school emergency plans. Requires schools conduct regular testing and emergency preparedness drills. Appropriates funds.

Requires the department of education to prohibit cell phone use during the instructional day, prohibit student access to social media through the school's internet, and implement a social media education campaign. Creates exemptions for students requiring accommodations, emergency situations, and teacher authorizations.

Requires DAGS and DPS, in consultation with the legislature and other entities, to plan and implement security improvements at the state capitol. Requires DAGS to remove all parking meters from the capitol parking facility and reallocate parking in the capitol district. Appropriates funds.

Requires each Department of Education classroom to be equipped with an opioid antagonist. Requires the Department of Education to train employees on opioid-related drug overdose prevention, recognition, and response and opioid antagonist administration. Appropriates moneys.

Imposes a cap on charges for searching for, reviewing, and segregating government records under the Uniform Information Practices Act. Provides for a waiver of fees in certain circumstances when the public interest is served by a government record's disclosure.

Establishes tax credits for insurers providing full property coverage to owners and associations of condominiums in the amount equal to twenty per cent of the insurance premium. Provides additional ten per cent tax credits to insurers incorporated in the State.